


Deliver You The Words

by orphan_account



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 00:44:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4726424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The show couldn't have gone better. The set ran smoothly, their gear checked out, there were no fights. The venue was all ages, so Joe and Patrick didn't have to rush out the door right after the set was done. In fact, they talked to a good amount of people. Fans. To be fair, it was just a couple people that had said they didn't suck, but that was fans to Patrick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deliver You The Words

The show couldn't have gone better. The set ran smoothly, their gear checked out, there were no fights. The venue was all ages, so Joe and Patrick didn't have to rush out the door right after the set was done. In fact, they talked to a good amount of people. _Fans_. To be fair, it was just a couple people that had said they didn't suck, but that was fans to Patrick. 

 

At some point that night, Patrick lost track of Joe. He figured he was with a girl, or maybe outside. He decided to check, because that's what friends do, right? Besides, it wasn't all that often they played all ages clubs this far from home. On a weekday, no less. He wanted to make sure Joe was enjoying it as it was meant to be enjoyed. He told Andy he'd be right back. There was something about the way that Andy smiled in response that made Patrick think of a mother animal of some sort… maybe a dog. Patrick made his way out of the club, painfully awkwardly, accidentally shoving a couple into the wall and apologizing as he ran away. He made it to their van where he caught his breath a little and convinced himself that the couple wasn't coming after him.

 

He leaned on the hood of the van for a bit of support while he scanned the outside of the venue. Maybe Joe was in one of the alcoves or the entrance to the back alley? Patrick hoped not. The last thing he wanted was for Joe to wander off and get beat up in the alley or something. He stood to start walking back towards the club- where he decided that Joe was after all- when he heard it. It sounded like… crying? Patrick turned back towards the van. Yeah, that was definitely someone crying. Patrick took off his hat and pushed his hair back, replacing his hat and making his way around the back of the van. He was never very good at comforting people- especially ones he couldn't see.

 

"Hey. Hello? Um- are you alright?" Patrick asked. He could see a figure by the back of the van, near the bumper. They looked sort of familiar. "Hey- are you okay?" Patrick asked again, louder. " _Shit._ " The figure realized there was someone else there and immediately wiped their face, sniffling profusely.

"Joe?" 

 

"Hey, 'Trick." Joe held up a hand and with the other took out his earphones with the other. He shoved them back in his pocket as Patrick sat down next to him. "What's going on?" Patrick had never seen Joe cry. Joe was the stoic one, the metalhead who didn't give a shit. Granted he was the youngest of them all, but still- Patrick hadn't seen him like this… ever.

 

"Nothing. I'm fine." Joe waved his hand around to emphasize his point. Patrick didn't buy it, but he also didn't want to push it- he didn't really know how to handle… anyone crying, really.  "I uh…" Patrick looked back towards the venue, then at Joe, who he could now sort of see in the lights of the club and a street lamp. "I don't think crying behind your van counts as fine."

Joe scoffed. Patrick shrugged sympathetically and they sat in a silence that got awkward rather quickly.

 

"You can go back inside, man. I'm fine." Joe sniffed again and rubbed his right eye, trying to hide that from Patrick. "I'd rather be out here." Patrick offered.

"Really? _Really?_ You'd rather be out here in the freezing-ass cold with a crying 17 year old boy in complete darkness than inside the warm club, surrounded by girls who like your band?"

Patrick thought about that for a second.

"Yeah." He concluded.

"You're shitting me."

"A little." Patrick grinned at Joe, who laughed a little and looked down into his lap. 

 

Patrick took a beat to ask again. "So really, what's wrong?"

Joe sighed, opened his mouth, glanced over at Patrick, and shut his mouth again. He ran a hand through his hair. "I a… It's dumb. It doesn't matter." He decided. Patrick over-exaggerated his sigh, which got Joe's attention. "Can we skip this part? I'm trying to make you less sad in as little time as possible." Patrick said this with a smile on his face, though. 

 

Joe shouldered Patrick a little before responding. "Don't laugh. I'm… I'm homesick." As composed as he was, Joe's voice wavered just slightly. He could start crying again or he could be completely deadpan, and neither of the two kids sitting near the bumper of the van knew which way it could go. Patrick didn't say anything, waiting for Joe to continue.

 

"I dunno. It's, it's dumb, I know. We've just been on the road for so long and I've never toured this far from home and I figured… I figured I'd at least be a legal adult by this time and maybe have my own place so I'd be _used_ to not seeing my family every day." Joe talked with his hands, anxiously gesturing to nothing.

"I didn't know I was gonna be stuck in the school bus to Hell with three other guys, who haven't showered in days, playing gigs for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

Patrick laughed at that. School bus to Hell. That's essentially what the van was. He also noticed that Joe's lisp got a little more pronounced when he was nervous and that was just too cute. Joe smiled weakly at him, a face that meant he intended to make Patrick laugh, but was still upset about his dilemma.

 

"Hey, man, you think you've got it bad-" Patrick briefly reconsidered telling Joe this story, because it was embarrassing and just the thought of it made his face flush red. He decided Joe needed it, though. "the other day Andy bought me a water bottle and I said 'thanks, mom'-" Patrick lowered his voice in a mocking tone to emphasize his mistake. Joe's face lit up and he laughed- it was one of those laughs that you really need but don't quite realize you needed it until someone gets it out of you. Patrick could see Joe's smile in the light of the venue and his heart melted. "For like, a full minute, I didn't even realize I'd said it, either. Andy wasn't about to correct me!" Patrick added, which brought another round of light laughter from Joe.

 

They sat in silence again, not awkward this time. Comfortable. They could hear shouting and laughing and conversations pour out of the venue. Patrick checked his watch. The venue would be closing up soon. All ages club on a weekday, usually they shut the doors by 11. He and Joe had a little under an hour to themselves before Andy and Pete would get shooed out of the venue and they'd be on the road again. Further from home. Patrick got the feeling Joe realized that too, because Joe had started leaning on Patrick a little. Or maybe he was just tired. Or both. "Hey-" Patrick looked over at Joe, whose head was nearly on his shoulder. "I have an idea."

 

And after three rings, she picked up. "Mom? It's Joe." Joe's voice shook a little bit. Patrick had lent him his Nokia, a gift from his own mom that she gave him right before they went on tour. "No, mom, I'm okay. Everything's fine. This is Patrick's phone- Patrick. PAT-RICK." Joe enunciated Patrick's name, which made Patrick snicker a little. "My singer, mom! The singer of the band that I am on tour with!" Joe sat up a little straighter, a little more life restored into his voice. "Yes, I brush my teeth twice a day." Joe gave Patrick a side glance as he lied to his mom. Patrick stifled a laugh. 

 

Joe and his mom talked for about half an hour before people started streaming out of the club. Patrick tapped his watch and Joe nodded, sighing a little. "Okay, mom, I gotta go." His voice sobered as he passed the Nokia from one hand to the other, holding the phone against his right ear. He put his other hand on his knee, which Patrick hesitantly took in both of his. Joe looked a little surprised, but smiled with gratitude. "Yeah, Pete's driving us to our next gig- Pete? Pete Wentz? C'mon mom, I can understand you not knowing Patrick, but Pete- oh. Oh, of course you're messing with me. Thanks for that." Joe rolled his eyes, smiling. He squeezed Patrick's hand a little. "I know. I- yeah. I know. Say hi to dad for me. And- yeah, them too." Joe mouthed 'brother and sister' to Patrick, who nodded. "I…" Joe started. He glanced at Patrick again and sighed.

"I love you too, mom. I'll call you again soon." He waited for her to hang up first and handed the phone back to Patrick. They sat there for a moment before they both saw Andy and Pete making their way towards the van. Joe put his arms around Patrick's neck and leaned his head on his shoulder. "Thank you." He muttered. Patrick, not expecting that reaction, barely had time to give Joe a little pat on the back before Joe turned his head, kissed Patrick's cheek, and stood up.

 

"Where have you been? Let's get this show on the road!" Pete called when he recognized the figures by the van were his bandmates. "Hey, if you didn't have the keys, we would have left you behind." Joe returned. No trace of his homesickness was in his voice. Patrick stood, a little flustered, and followed Joe to the doors of the van. "That's not true. You love me too much." Pete put his hand over his heart, as though he were physically wounded by Joe's comment.

"Oh, well, _I_ do. Not this guy." Joe jabbed a thumb at Patrick, who regained his composure by smiling at Pete and shrugging. Andy sighed a _Please, I'm tired, let me into the Hell Van so we can leave_ sigh and the other guys hustled into the van. 

 

They settled into their seats and Pete started the engine, using Andy's headrest to pull himself around, looking through the back windows to pull out of the parking lot. "I can't see shit." Pete muttered. "Duck down." He added. Patrick and Joe leaned forward. Not that that would do anything- it was still dark outside. Joe glanced at Patrick and mouthed 'Thank you' one more time. Patrick took his hand again and squeezed. "No problem." He whispered with a smile. The moment only lasted a second though, because Pete's lead foot stomped on the gas and the two younger guys hit their heads on the seats in front of them. "You _dick_!" Patrick yelled, grabbing the top of his head. "Oh yeah, you guys can sit up now." Pete's shit-eating grin reflected in his rear view mirror where he saw both Joe and Patrick flipping him off.  

 


End file.
